Bail has been denied to a Gqeberha accountant who is accused of stealing R50 million from two Spar franchises in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Fifty-one-year-old Jonathan Blow appeared in the Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Blow is accused of stealing over R40 million from Sunridge Spar as well as R11 million from a franchise in Despatch.
He will be held at St Alban's prison after the court ruled that he could have his medication administered to him properly as there is a dispensary at the Correctional Centre.
The court also found that the accountant was likely to evade his trial especially since he had acquired a visa to work overseas and his house was on the market.
It further said that Blow had misrepresented himself to his attorney on the extent of his alleged theft from the franchises.
Furthermore, the court found that as the probe was still incomplete, and the R50 million that he allegedly stole was yet to be accounted for, it is better that he is behind bars not to hinder the investigation.
Blow has been in custody since his arrest on 17 March.
During the bail application his legal counsel, Advocate Hannelie Bakker, said that Blow suffered from high blood pressure, asthma, and depression and needed to return to work so that he could pay his R500 000 overdraft.
Bakker also stated that Blow was seeing a psychologist, who is treating him for an online gambling addiction.
She said he needed to be out on bail so that he could support his two children who are still in university, as well as pay their bond and family car.
However, the court found that all his reasons were not exceptional.
His case was postponed until June 15 for further investigation.
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